Soulfarm – Scream of the Crop

Soulfarm is three fellas from New York who have put together a very cool album that’s pretty hard to pigeonhole. Noah Chase and C Lanzbom on vocals and guitar, and Mark Ambrosino on drums play rock that, at times, has a folk edge. At other times it is – for lack of a better word – trippy. And, on occasion, a mid-Eastern sound sneaks in when you least expect it. Through it all their guitars shine, whether on the dazzling Latin-tinged start of “The Ride” with blazing acoustics, or the deep rich sound of the solo and volume swells on “Shake Well,” or the country flatpicking on “Let the Wheels Roll,” or the nasty slide in the funky-rocker “I Don’t Mind.” The beauty of it is the ideas are fresh and new, too. Each song seems to have a cool, “different,” guitar part with no clichés attached.

Vocally, they call to mind folks like Crosby, Stills, and Nash. It’s folky, but the songs aren’t always that easy to catagorize. They also have some friends who contribute. Bassists Ben Bernstein and Jay Weissman help the songs, whether a spacy trip a la Pink Floyd, a pop ballad, or a funky rocker. And former Jane’s Addiction front man Perry Farrell adds vocals on “From This Day On.”

From some of the press clippings I’ve seen, the boys apparently can rip it up pretty good in concert. Not hard to believe, since they all seem like musicians you’d love to jam with. Smart, innovative, and good listeners. Highly recommended. Check them out at their website, soulfarm.net, or call Desert Rock Records, (845) 362-8063.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s Nov. ’01 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.

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